“Were no sources of infection”
Lauterbach: Daycare closures unnecessary due to Corona
11/02/2022 3:37 p.m
Germany is going into a possible winter wave with scientific knowledge from the last Corona years. There should therefore no longer be day-care center closures in the future. Health Minister Lauterbach considers some restrictions to be unavoidable.
From today’s perspective, the closure of day-care centers during the corona pandemic was not necessary. This is the result of new scientific findings, as Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach said when presenting a current study. “The daycare centers were not sources of infection,” said Lauterbach. The incidence in daycare children is still behind that of primary school children and adolescents. The transmission rate was 9.6 percent during the investigation period.
“We have to keep that in mind when we go into the winter wave now,” Lauterbach continued. Contact reduction, the formation of small groups, masks for adults and ventilation are important. “But closing daycare centers is definitely not medically appropriate.”
Overall, according to Lauterbach’s assessment, there is currently no reason for the all-clear in the corona pandemic. There is “at most a breathing space”. The hospitals were working at the limit and “the new variants are building up”. Lauterbach therefore urged caution. But “we are well prepared by the vaccination campaign”. There are up to 100,000 new vaccinations every day, and there is also the pandemic radar and wastewater monitoring.
Paus: Socially disadvantaged people are hit harder
Socially disadvantaged children were particularly often affected by negative consequences such as infections and daycare closures, as the study presented by Lauterbach and Family Minister Lisa Paus shows. “Children have already suffered significantly during the pandemic – often less from the virus itself than from the consequences of the containment measures,” explained Paus. “I am particularly shocked that socially disadvantaged children and young people are particularly badly affected and that so many children and young people show psychological stress.”
It is precisely the children who most urgently need access to early education and support who are often subject to the greatest restrictions. “In the future, the well-being of the child must be the top priority.” This is about the development opportunities of children and young people and about equal opportunities.
Clinic billions should come quickly
Lauterbach also promised timely relief for the hospitals. The announced billions in aid should come “very quickly”. “I believe that we will be on the pitch in time with the money. No hospital will be in immediate need due to increased energy prices. I can rule that out,” said Lauterbach. No hospital will go offline because of a lack of energy.
The federal and state governments want to talk about the topic in the afternoon. In a draft resolution for the consultations, there is talk of a hardship regulation “for areas in which, despite the electricity and gas price brake, there are financial burdens that cannot be compensated for by those affected”. A total of 12 billion euros from the Economic Stabilization Fund are earmarked for this, up to 8 billion of which for hospitals, university clinics and care facilities. The fund was set up to provide company aid during the pandemic and has now been endowed with up to 200 billion euros to cushion the current crisis.
Lauterbach, who claims to be taking part in the negotiations, said the federal and state governments agree on the issue. He announced an ordinance from his house to make the additional 8 billion euros in question available for clinics and care facilities.